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Using a smartphone application as an adjunct to counselling in substance misuse treatment

Condition category

Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Date applied

09/02/2015

Date assigned

13/02/2015

Last edited

13/02/2015

Prospective/Retrospective

Prospectively registered

Overall trial status

Completed

Recruitment status

No longer recruiting

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims The Application to Improve Motivation (AiM) has been developed to help users improve their motivation to make and maintain a desired health behaviour change, such as drinking, smoking and exercise. This study aims to explore the utility and potential impact of this smartphone application used alongside routine clinical practice for people being treated for substance misuse.

Who can participate? Adults receiving counselling for substance misuse

What does the study involve? AiM will be offered to all clients who meet the inclusion criteria in a charity substance misuse service and will be evaluated as an addition to weekly counselling. The evaluation will run for 4 weeks; at the end of which the consenting client and counsellor will each be asked to complete a one-page questionnaire. AiM will also collect anonymous use data on self-reported health behaviours and levels of motivation. The data will then be analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of AiM as an adjunct to weekly counselling for substance misuse.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? Benefits and risks not provided at time of registration.

Where is the study run from?Addiction Care and Support Agency (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? From March 2015 to June 2015

Who is funding the study?Investigator initiated and funded

Who is the main contact? Mr Harvey Wells

Trial website

Contact information

Type

Public

Primary contact

Mr Harvey Wells

ORCID ID

Contact details

Sir Frank Lampl Buildling School of Nursing Faculty of Health Social Care and Education St George's University of London and Kingston University Sir Frank Lampl Building Kingston Hill Campus Kingston Upon Thames KT2 7LB United Kingdom

Type

Scientific

Additional contact

Mr Harvey Wells

ORCID ID

Contact details

Sir Frank Lampl Buildling School of Nursing Faculty of Health Social Care and Education St George's University of London and Kingston University Sir Frank Lampl Building Kingston Hill Campus Kingston upon Thames KT2 7LB United Kingdom

Additional identifiers

EudraCT number

ClinicalTrials.gov number

Protocol/serial number

N/A

Study information

Scientific title

Case series evaluation of a smartphone application on levels of motivation to change substance misuse behaviour in a clinical population already engaged in treatment

Acronym

Study hypothesis

Participants motivation to change will increase following the use of the smartphone application

Ethics approval

Faculty of Health, Social Care, and Education, Kingston University and St George's, University of London (UK), 20/10/2014

Study design

Interventional case series

Primary study design

Interventional

Secondary study design

Non randomised study

Trial setting

Other

Trial type

Quality of life

Patient information sheet

Not available in web format; please use contact details below to request a participant information sheet.

Condition

Substance misuse (alcohol or ilicit drugs)

Intervention

Smartphone application designed to increase motivation to change health-related behaviours

Intervention type

Behavioural

Phase

Drug names

Primary outcome measures

Motivation: self-reported via smartphone application and evaluation questionnaire; clinical observations of participant's counsellor; measured at the beginning of the study, then weekly for 4 weeks

Secondary outcome measures

Substance misuse behaviour: self reported via smartphone application and evaluation questionnaire; measured at the beginning of the study, then weekly for 4 weeks.

Overall trial start date

02/03/2015

Overall trial end date

01/06/2015

Reason abandoned

Eligibility

Participant inclusion criteria

1. Between 18-64 years old2. In treatment for individual counselling or group counselling3. Have agreement from their counsellor to use the application as an adjunct to therapy sessions4. Have a minimum of 4 weeks counselling remaining5. Have either an Android smartphone (2.3.3 or later) or an IPhone (iOs 7 or later) with access to mobile data or Wi-Fi

Participant type

Patient

Age group

Adult

Gender

Both

Target number of participants

20

Participant exclusion criteria

1. Age younger than 18 or older than 652. No longer in treatment for substance misuse3. Counsellor does not agree to be included in the trial4. Participant has less then 4 weeks of counselling remaining5. Does not have access to a smartphone with ability to run the application

Sponsor details

Sponsor type

Website

Funders

Funder type

Other

Funder name

Investigator initiated and funded

Alternative name(s)

Funding Body Type

Funding Body Subtype

Location

Results and Publications

Publication and dissemination plan

1. We aim to complete the data collection by May 2015. 2. We will analyse and write up over June and July 2015. 3. We aim to publish the evaluation of the smartphone app, including the impact on motivation and substance misuse behaviour. 4. We plan to submit these findings to a peer-reviewed journal in the area of substance misuse, such as the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. We would hope this to be published in 2016.